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Wendelin Bitzan

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Berlin
Wendelin Bitzan

Musician, researcher, and digital content creator. Based in Berlin and Düsseldorf.

Recordings available at:
www.soundcloud.com/wendelinbitzan
www.soundcloud.com/wendelin82

Sheet music available at:
www.imslp.org/wiki/Category:Bitzan,_Wendelin

Writings available at:
rsh-duesseldorf.academia.edu/WendelinBitzan
www.twitter.com/wendelinbitzan

Consider a donation:
www.paypal.me/wendelinbitzan

17/06/2026

Für die Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie (GMTH) habe ich mit meinen Kollegen Georg Thoma, Holger Müller-Hartmann und Hans Aerts ein Positionspapier zu Tätigkeiten und Arbeitsverhältnissen in der akademischen Lehre der Fächer Musiktheorie und Gehörbildung verfasst (Link im ersten Kommentar). Das Papier knüpft an ein Memorandum der GMTH zum Lehrauftragswesen aus dem Jahr 2021 an, aktualisiert die Forderung nach einem Höchstanteil von 20 % Lehrbeauftragten gegenüber 80 % festangestellten Lehrkräften und schließt einige Überlegungen zur Personalpolitik an Musikhochschulen und Universitäten an. Insbesondere werden unter den aktuellen politischen Rahmenbedingungen, die eine rechtssichere Beauftragung selbstständig tätiger Lehrkräfte ab 2028 deutlich erschweren werden, maßgebliche Stellenaufwüchse notwendig sein, um die an vielen Standorten deutlich zu hohen Lehrauftragsquoten zu reduzieren. Die GMTH appelliert an die zuständigen Landesministerien, die dafür notwendigen Mittel bereitzustellen, und setzt sich für eine ressourcenschonende und sozialverträgliche Gestaltung des Umwandlungsprozesses ein.

With my colleagues Georg Thoma, Holger Müller-Hartmann, and Hans Aerts from the Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie, I authored a statement on occupations and job profiles in the academic teaching of music theory and ear training. The paper ties in with a former GMTH memorandum of 2021, updates the claim for a maximum of 20 % adjunct lecturers compared to 80 % permanent positions, and adds some considerations on staffing policy at music universities in Germany. In particular, a significant increase in long-term employments will be needed in order to meet the current legal situation which will impede the secure assignment of teaching duties to freelancers as of 2028. Accordingly, the share of adjuncts should be reduced at many institutions, and the GMTH calls on the relevant administrations to provide the financial resources needed to implement a sustainable structural change in academic faculties.

15/06/2026

CANCELLED – Couldn't be more excited to announce a concert of first performances of my compositions, scheduled for Saturday, June 27, 15:45 pm, as part of the Ensemble! festival taking place at Partika-Saal of Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf. For the premieres of two duo works from the last years, I will be joined by flutist Zhijun Xu and cellist Inés Bueno López, who will perform the pieces »Capriccio spirituoso« and »Begebenheit«, and I will also present my recently composed »SonaTine« for solo piano. There will also be a special treat: my colleague Hubertus Dreyer will conduct an on-stage interview as a framework for the concert. Thanks go also to Tobias Koch for his profound work in organising the festival.

If you happen to be around, I'd be glad to welcome you in the audience. The other parts of the festival will also be worth a visit, of course. See you soon in Düsseldorf!

14/05/2026

Cordial invitation to my lecture on Dora Pejačević's C major piano trio, Op. 29, which takes place next Tuesday, 19 May, 7:30 pm, in the Kammermusiksaal of Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf. I will share the stage with Andrej Bielow, Klaudio Zoto, and James Maddox who will contribute a performance of this remarkable work. Looking forward—come and join us if you are around!

Herzliche Einladung zu meinem Vortrag über das Klaviertrio C-Dur op. 29 von Dora Pejačević am kommenden Dienstag, 19. Mai, um 19:30 Uhr im Kammermusiksaal der Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf. Dieses bemerkenswerte Werk wird zudem live dargeboten von Andrej Bielow, Klaudio Zoto und James Maddox, worauf ich mich sehr freue. Kommt gern vorbei, wenn ihr in der Nähe seid, der Eintritt ist frei.

16/04/2026

The summer term at Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf has begun, and I am looking forward to my upcoming classes. In addition to the regular undergraduate music theory programme, I will be teaching two seminars that explore intersections between musicology, music analysis, and the study of historical treatises.

The first one focuses on the chamber music of Croatian composer Dora Pejačević in collaboration with pianist Kyra Steckeweh, the violin studio of my colleague Andrej Bielow and other RSH faculty appearing in a lecture series that will also see me presenting on Dora's piano trio, opus 29. The other one traces back the development of sonata analysis and theories of sonata form throughout the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, starting from Heinrich Christoph Koch's rhetorical conception, and ending up delineating contemporary Anglo-American approaches to sonata theory. Both seminars will be held remotely every other werk, which means guest participation is easily possible—let me know in case you would like to join in.

23/03/2026

Today I would like to share some ambivalent experiences with the German youth competition Jugend musiziert, which I have had the chance to explore from different perspectives: as a participant, parent, committee delegate, and jury member. After serving on a chamber music jury in last year's competition, I was designated to be a chairman of the solo voice category this year, and meant to recruit the other jury members and supervise the submitted programmes. Unfortunately, interaction and collaboration within the relevant committee turned out to be so inefficient and unsatisactory that I saw no other option than resigning from both functions as a delegate and jury member.

The subsequent actions of the committee and project management at Landesmusikrat Berlin led to a rash and unnecessary replacement of the whole jury, which appeared harmful with regard to the eligibility and appreciation of the previously chosen jury members, who are likely to be discouraged from future participations, and might even have had a loss of earnings after their short-notice cancellation. This is a pity, given the preconditions of the competition which essentially relies on a vast amount of voluntary work of the persons involved. These developments also point to a need of general reforms in the routines and organisational structures of the competition. I would be interested to know what you think of this, or if any of you has made similar observations and experiences.

On another note: The appearances of my daughter Cosima, a 15-year-old harpist, in the Berlin regional and state competitions have been immensely delightful. It is my pleasure to report that her performances of music by Handel, Tournier, and Andrès, as well as her own composition »Dreaming Willow«, earned her one of the highest scores in her category and the advancement to the federal competition, which will take place in Regensburg in May 2026.

07/03/2026

I somehow managed to compose something again, after quite a time without any creative musical output. The product of my intermittent efforts during the second half of last year is now finally completed and engraved, leaving me with the duty of preparing it for an occasional performance—or, maybe before that, a private presentation to the person to whom it owes its existence, Tine Tl'dr, the dedicatee of this three-movement SonaTine for piano solo.

To anyone else who would fancy taking a look: you may find the score at your favourite source of sheet music on the internet (see first comment). As always, I will be delighted to hear your comments and appreciations.

26/02/2026

In her recent piece for VAN Magazin, music educator and communicator Barbara Balba Weber sketches an exit strategy from the corrupted business of classical music. As she describes and analyses her change of profession, leaving behind the feudal gatekeeping system of concert halls, festivals, and music universities for a decent teaching position in a small alpine village, the author presents her personal letter of resignation from a system that has outlived itself as a cultural practice and means of artistic identification. I, for one, can relate to these feelings very strongly, and felt much inspired by this article (see first comment).

»Classical music has been heavily guarded for centuries.«
»Die klassische Musik wird seit Jahrhunderten streng bewacht.«

»Classical music is designed so that people stay with their own kind.«
»Die klassische Musik ist dazu da, dass man unter sich bleiben kann.«

08/02/2026

New choral performances upcoming! I will be appearing on stage with Vokalsystem Berlin again in two concerts featuring music by Johann Sebastian Bach, John Tavener, Arvo Pärt, Caroline Shaw, Pink Floyd, and Radiohead. The programme is named »Symmetries« and will present a multi-perspective crossover experience, blending influences from classical music, swing, and contemporary styles, and confronting vocal sounds with percussion, electric guitar, and organ. Join us at Martin-Luther-Kirche Neukölln on Saturday 14 February, 8 pm, or Sunday 15 February, 6 pm. See the first comment for tickets!

09/01/2026

Earlier this week I had the opportunity of speaking in front of the Committee of Cultural Affairs in the Berlin House of Representatives. I appeared as a spokesperson for my association Tonkünstlerverband Berlin in a consultation of experts and cultural administration, discussing questions of how to fund and recruit more permanent positions on the faculty of Berlin's public music schools. In my statement I advocated for fair payment of all persons in music education and equal treatment of teachers in state and private institutions, as well as freelance educators. Please find a link to the recording of the committee meeting in the first comment (my contributions start at timecodes 51:37 and 2:09:36).

27/12/2025

Remembering Stephan today, whom I dearly miss. Requiescas in pace, my friend! 😥

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